I’m addicted to screens

 Lately, I’ve been struggling with spending too much time on YouTube, and it was indeed causing a lot of trouble for both my mental health and my education. Like you, I would find myself wandering aimlessly through absurd YouTube videos, Shorts, and livestreams—even when I had actually opened YouTube to watch serious mathematics or computer science content.

Then I decided to quit wasting my time on social media. Here are some tips that might (hopefully) help you too:

1. Moderate the content you consume (before moderating the hours spent).
   Make sure you aren’t watching any of the following types of content:

   • Disturbing/Shocking/Bad for Mental Health:
     It’s pretty obvious why you must avoid such content. For me, accumulated hidden memories of disturbing facts -and to much less extent, disturbing scenes- caused anxiety and horrible nightmares. I had no clue why until my dad suggested that my messy thoughts were a result of watching that kind of material. Pay attention that I had simply watched YouTubers talking about disturbing websites, incidents, and facts—and it’s crystal clear that being exposed to explicitly violent, graphic, or horror content (fortunately banned from YouTube) can have significantly worse effects on the brain. So I recommend that you never, ever watch such content out of mere curiosity.

   • Sexually Provocative Content:
     This often leads to seeking out pornography, that starts a whole new set of problems, which isn’t the main focus of this comment.

   • Absurd/Cringe Content:
     These videos make you feel sorry for wasting your precious time. They can also skew your attitude toward society: you might unconsciously exaggerate how many awkward people exist and assume everyone has that hidden side. That can lead to isolation and social avoidance—especially if you value intellectualism and sometimes wish people were smarter.

What should you actually watch?
Anything modest (even as pure entertainment) or heartwarming/motivational that you genuinely enjoy, or content directly related to your studies or hobbies, provided it’s both educational and worth the time you spend watching it.

2. Clean up your “Watch Later” list.
   Look at each item critically: ask yourself whether this content brings something valuable (e.g., genuine knowledge, a positive feeling, or useful guidance), or if it’s just a way to waste time. Remove the inappropriate or absurd videos from your list.
   

3. Dedicate a specific period each day to watching your “Watch Later” videos (or other appropriate videos), and do not let yourself exceed that limit.
   Important: If you do exceed the limit, the absolute worst thing to do is criticize yourself harshly and overthink it. Instead, forget about that slip-up and keep moving forward on your journey to success and well-being. 💚
   

4. The most important part: find purpose and set goals.
   Once your mind is resting a little, it’s time to get somewhat philosophical and consider your purpose and goals. As an intellectual once said, “Those who don’t find a satisfactory reason to live will distract themselves with ephemeral pleasures.” When you have a true sense of purpose and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals, your behavior adapts to your mindset, and you’ll automatically start seeking meaningful activities rather than short-lived bursts of dopamine.
   

5. Stop thinking about your screen time and focus on meaningful things to do.
   Because of the paradox of control, you are controlled by what you try to control! And likewise, you control what you don’t try to control! Obsessing over screen time paradoxically leads to more screen time. Here’s why:
   

   • When you do something you feel ashamed of, you start feeling guilty.

   • Guilt leads to stress and anxiety.

   • Stress and anxiety lead to obsessive rumination.

   • Obsessive rumination triggers compulsive behavior (doing exactly what you feel guilty for, just to seek immediate comfort or avoid discomfort).

   • That takes you right back to where you started.

Schematically:

Behavior → Guilt →  Anxiety

        ↑                                ↓

Compulsion    ←    Rumination

Question: How do you get out of the loop?
Answer: Stop feeling guilty. Remember that your so-called “inappropriate” behavior doesn’t harm any individual, break any law, or contradict any moral norm. Although it may have costs for you, feeling guilt or shame doesn’t help you get out of the situation; it guarantees you stay in that unhealthy loop. When life is itself paradoxical, sometimes the only way to fix it is to act paradoxically—by feeling no shame and no guilt for doing what is (subjectively) considered shameful.

6. See yourself heal, grow, and enjoy. 💚
   From this stage on, everything will feel like it’s on autopilot.
   

Additional Experiences That Might Help You:

1. As long as you rely on others (even an intimate partner) to solve your intrapersonal issues (like impulsive or compulsive behavior), two additional problems can emerge:

   • If you struggle with low self-esteem, you might end up begging your partner to let you break your own rules. They might (note that I say “might”—this depends on both of your personalities and the nature of your relationship) give up fighting and allow it, but then form a negative opinion of you and your self-control—or lack thereof—leading to more complex situations.

   • If you continue relying on external help to stop you from crossing the line, you risk losing even the amount of self-control you currently have (often referred to as ego depletion). It’s like a muscle getting weak from not being used.

2. Our brains sometimes use an extremely unhealthy coping mechanism called “Maladaptive Avoidance Coping” (or “Pseudo-Purpose Loops”).
   Question: What is this coping mechanism, and how does it work?
   Answer: It involves dealing with real stressors by escaping into behaviors or thoughts that avoid the source of stress but don’t resolve it. The brain magnifies minor inconveniences or problems—making them seem like major stressors that “make sense” in the moment, even though others (especially professionals) might not see them that way. I believe this response to prolonged exposure to severe stress and anxiety is the brain’s way of protecting itself and the body from further harm.

Conclusion: Although I’ve tried to warn you about possible consequences of your current situation, you don’t have to worry about each scenario—especially those I mentioned with uncertainty, which might not apply to you at all.

⚠️ Disclaimer

I’m not a licensed professional—please discuss any major changes with your therapist. I gathered these ideas from personal experience, research, and discussions with mental-health professionals. ⚠️

I hope this comment helps you through this situation. 💚

Screens are magic, the hypnotising devices. Try to explore hiking, perfect activity to stay outdoors and as far away from monitors.

Sometimes we just need a right environment in order to overcome something. Besides, replace it, something else. What about painting? As well